1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device for fastening lace up shoes, enabling the tie or knot of the lacings of these shoes to be advantageously replaced.
For lace up shoes to correctly fit the user's foot, the distal ends of said laces or strings must necessarily be tied together.
This could, in principle, seem to be a trivial operation, but it is not so for unskilled users, for example, children or physically disabled persons.
These shoes present a further disadvantage since the said ties or knots become undone and they may even be untied completely, especially in the case of laces made of silk or nylon materials, with the consequent inconvenience and even a risk of falling if the loose lace ends are stepped upon.
Shoes incorporating simple or safe fastening devices are already known. Nevertheless, all those devices are based on the elimination of the lacings. However, for various reasons, inter alia fashion and design, the manufacture of lace up shoes is still necessary. Thus, shoes including parts which can be fastened by means of clasps, hooks, and even self-adhesive "velcro" type fabrics and the like are known.
2. Objects and Summary of the Invention
Thus, it is an object of the invention to provide a device by means of which the previously mentioned disadvantages are obviated.
According to the invention, the said object is accomplished inasmuch as the device comprises: A support resting on the shoe upper with at least one hole for the passage of the free ends of the laces, which hole is provided at the lower part of the said support so that it is encountered close to the end of the holes of the shoe lacing; and retention means in the said support for retaining the said laces and preventing them from being dislocated, which retention means is capable of being uncoupled in order to free the said laces urged by recentring members.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the said support is comprised of two parts interarticulated about a central shaft onto which they can be abated, urged by the recentring force of springs, whilst the lace retention means is comprised of lateral extensions formed at the adjacent ends of the said articulated support parts.
Alternatively, the support can be comprised of a rigid part having holes for the passage of the laces, while the retention means is comprised of an abatable pawl or bolt which retains the portions close to the free lace ends. In this embodiment the support may incorporate cavities for concealing the free ends of the laces.
According to further embodiment, the support and the retention means are constituted of a monoblock piece made of a flexible material, capable of retaining the lace ends in a stationary position or of releasing the said laces by exerting pressure on the lateral ends thereof, due to its flexible nature.
An advantageous characteristic, according to the invention, is that the lower part of the said support has a concavity, wherefore it adapts itself to the curvature of the upper part of the shoe upper on which it rests.